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my 95 7 ran really good on friday night....reached in to start it sunday night and it started then died. would not restart. the motor sounded really funny when i tried to restart it too, like there was no compression. i thought i had broke a timing chain, but no. thought i had a tech read the computer for codes, but it turns out he did not. got to chasing the no start, and did a compression test on left bank. 100, 80, 60, 40 lbs front back. not good. however, car ran perfectly, no bad idle, and showed me getting 23mpg a week before. absolutely no problem with how it ran prior to no start. so now i have motor torn down, head off, and am now wondering if there is a sensor in the car that would prevent it from starting, or shut it down after it had started. i am furious with my wrench for not scanning the car!! im checking numbers for the non recalled block number, so im probably heading towards replacing motor. however, i would also consider rebuilding heads if motor is not nikosil. am really lost as to why it quit and then would not start. i have read hundreds of forums, and they help, but not nailing it down for me. any ideas would be appreciated.

Couple of things come to mind. Starting then stopping is a typical fuel problem, and this is a 95 car - has the fuel filter been changed? The engine might be starved of fuel. A failing camshaft sensor will alow the car to start, run for a bit, then stalls. A couple of turns on the key, it re-starts, on so on.

no running issues in the previous month. i felt like the sound of the engine had changed dramatically after it quit running. the sound of it as it turned over that is. i tried for a couple days to restart it. even wore the battery down cranking on it. i gave it some starting fluid as a buddy cranked also. ....nothing. not even a sputter. my initial reaction to the sound of the motor was that i had either broke a timing chain, or broke the crank. it there a module that retards or advances the timing so as not to allow a start?

I hope this isn't a egg sucking lesson for granny. 1) Do a compression check again and get some numbers. They should all be 120psi minimum. If not see your wrench with a writ. 2) Pull off start wire from starter motor, join a gauge to the fuel rail(s) and get a mate to hold the key in P3 (start). The pump(s) will run and give you a pressure reading. If you are about 40psi it's good. If not see your wrench with another writ. 3) Pull a plug wire (or coil pack) reconnect starter wire and check for spark when engine turning over. If you have a spark then it's a basic timing issue - cam and sensors out of sync. If no spark it's either crank sensor problems or EWS related. Could be as simple as recoding a key, multi-plug half out, blown fuse, blown relay, bad sensor or even no fuel (Yes I got caught). If it's the EWS box then I won't even pretend I can fix that!!

thanks for all. i cant recheck the left bank, mainly because my head is holding down paper on my desk. that thing is cool....i just sit and stare at it sometimes.
i had a good fuel pressure test. spark about knocked me on my butt. im down to either rebuidling the motor i have, i need to check some block numbers....or purchasing a new motor. i just wish i knew why it quit running. i have never been around a motor that shut off becuase of lack of compression. thanks for your thought process. :thumbup
ive always wanted to build a motor...maybe nows my chance